


An Unattainable Dream

by MysteryFicAnon



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff, Gen, Reconciliation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-17
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:40:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24774049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MysteryFicAnon/pseuds/MysteryFicAnon
Summary: Dream and Nightmare are stuck in a pocket dimension together, and have to work through their issues.
Comments: 14
Kudos: 67





	An Unattainable Dream

**Author's Note:**

  * For [damnedxfate](https://archiveofourown.org/users/damnedxfate/gifts).



> Happy birthday damnedxfate!!! I hope you enjoy this sweetie <3 This is my first time writing these two, and it ended up being platonic. I hope you like it :D
> 
> Thank you to @Clehnian on ao3 for beta reading this, I appreciate it!

Dream would never say it out loud, but Nightmare was strikingly similar to a cat sometimes. He hissed and spat, and when he was truly angry negative energy would crackle around him like bristling fur. Even when he was relaxing, he still reminded Dream of an aloof cat.

Now, for instance, he was curled up on the couch in a beam of sun. His tentacles curled around himself like a tail, occasionally twitching idly. He was also pointedly not looking at Dream, but that wasn’t much different from normal. Ever since their abrupt confinement a week ago, they had barely said two words to each other. It wasn’t for lack of trying on Dream’s part, but Nightmare just didn’t seem interested.

Dream leaned against the door, wondering what he had done wrong. Yes, he and Ink had inadvertently gotten the two of them trapped in this world, but it hadn’t been his fault. How could he have known that it was impossible for him to rule over a kingdom like he had in the past? He knew he was powerful, but even he had underestimated just how much his energy would unbalance a dimension without Nightmare to serve as his counterpart.

If Nightmare hated Dream this much, he could have just not gone through the portal when it formed. The dimension would have collapsed, taking Dream with it. Maybe it would have been better that way; then at least Dream wouldn’t have to see just how much Nightmare hated him.

Nightmare looked up, probably sensing the negative energy coming from Dream. He sighed, and his tentacles began to shift. Dream flinched, worried he was disturbing Nightmare.

“None of that.” Nightmare said, curling all of his tentacles over to his right side. “Come here.”

“I… Brother?” Dream asked quietly, hesitating. He knew speaking might break the spell of the moment, but he couldn’t help it. He had to know if this was just another trap, and Nightmare wanted to use his weakness against him.

“Just get over here.” Nightmare growled. He glanced at Dream, then patted the couch cushion next to him as if he was annoyed it was taking Dream so long to understand.

In the blink of an eye, Dream was next to Nightmare. This was the closest they had been in centuries outside of battle, and both of them seemed a bit uncertain. Dream decided the best thing to do was just go for it.

He had been around Nightmare for so long that the ooze dripping off of him barely gave Dream a pang of nervousness. He pressed himself into Nightmare’s side, heedless of the black ooze staining his white robes. He snuggled as close as he could get, feeling the hardness of bone underneath the sludge covering Nightmare.

“I’ve missed you.” Dream admitted, laying his head down on Nightmare’s shoulder. His brother’s bones had always been strong and sturdy, and he could still feel how broad they were beneath the ooze.

Nightmare didn’t say anything, but he didn’t have to. Dream could feel the happiness rising up inside of him, like bubbles of air finally reaching the surface of a pond. Moving painfully slowly, he wrapped a tentative arm around Dream’s shoulders.

Dream couldn’t hold back a smile, leaning into his brother’s half-embrace. Contentment welled up in his own chest, making him feel even more relaxed. Even if Nightmare’s face was partly turned away, he could still see the faint smile on his brother’s face.

He was sure that Nightmare could feel the same thing he did in this moment. Underneath all the pain between them, there was still love. He smiled, unable to stop a faint sprout of hope from blooming in his chest. Maybe their story could still have a happy ending after all.


End file.
